Tales From Four Harbors: The Frankenfish
by I'maMePanda
Summary: Every weekend the local legend 'The Death Cowboy' sits outside of Vin's Broken Bait Shop. Can JD get past this figure of doom to get the sticker that proves he did it? Finished one shot from new Four Harbors 'verse by me and MamaBear2Two.


A/N: World's quickest AN because I have to leave for work (Got a job, not one I couldn't have gotten without my degree though, lol). This is a new 'verse set in Louisiana, composed entirely with round robin emailing between me and Mamabear except for editing. Gael, to keep that from being confusing, is a character you will meet later on in BOB, Mamabear's story, right about the time Danny appears in that verse. And now I really have to go, hope you guys like it :)

 **-Frankenfish-**

"Go!"

Startling at the fiercely hissed word behind him, the dark haired teen turned and glared at the speaker of the one word order. Brown eyes glared right back at him. "What are you waiting for?" she demanded.

Waving a hand to the side in annoyance, he rolled hazel eyes skyward and retorted, "I don't know! How come I have to do it anyway?!"

Pointing behind her, her own annoyance showed as she spoke, "Because Chicken Boy won't do it, and Gael's not here!" Huffing dramatically, she flopped to the ground, drawing her knees to her chest as she scowled at both boys.

"Not a chicken." The red headed teen whispered, tone dark, but no heat behind it.

"Yes, you are," she snapped back, "And apparently so is JD!"

Glaring at her, JD groused, "Don't see you rushing up there, neither." Casey rolled her eyes, like what he'd said was ridiculous, and JD demanded, "What? You aren't!"

"I already did, and you know it." Casey glared up at the doubtful looks from both boys, "Last year, when my cousin Inez was here. She saw. What, are you calling me a liar?" Knowing Casey wasn't above using her fists if they did call her a liar, and neither boy about to hit her back, Danny shook his head swiftly and JD gave her a long look before mumbling something that was neither a yes or a no. "Did so-that's how I got the sticker that's on my headboard, JD, you've seen it!"

Danny's mouth dropped open, saying, "He has?" with both confusion and awe. Casey stared at Danny in bewilderment as JD flushed bright red, and then, abruptly realizing where the boy's mind had gone, scooped up a handful of the loose gravel that stretched over the small parking lot and tossed it at his knees.

"Shut up! When he was helping me move my desk!"

"I vote Danny has to go and do it now," JD put in, pointing at his friend and only grinning when Danny shot him a betrayed look.

"I...I can't! What if...there might be...you _guys!_ They call him the Death Cowboy!" Danny's voice was tinged with a bit of a whine and Casey snorted.

"Leave him alone, JD. You know he'd never even get to the stairs." Looking at Danny she gave a rueful grin, "Sorry Dan-o, but you know it's true." The red headed teen stuck his tongue out at her, and then shrugged. Wasn't no fighting it really, they all knew he wasn't going up there.

JD sucked in a breath and straightened his cap, having known that wasn't going to work when he tried, but still a little disappointed. With one last glare at Casey, who was making chicken noises under her breath at him, he straightened his shoulders and stepped out of the scraggly trees and brush into the parking lot proper. He was doing it. He was going to walk all the way up to the bait shop, walk past the silent figure all in black that haunted the porch every weekend and go in. Go in to see the Frankenfish.

He'd get a sticker too, and put it on his bike so everyone would see it. That would show Casey.

As JD moved slowly but methodically across the small parking space, not yet dotted with numerous cars as it was want to be most weekend afternoons, Casey climbed to her feet and scoffed. "Ain't never gonna get there at that rate." She took two steps forward and stopped, "What's he doing?" she muttered, watching as JD slowed to a near crawl within feet of the steps.

"I dunno," Danny whispered from where he'd retreated to the small line of trees behind her, "but the Death Cowboy's watching him."

*.*.*

Coming to an abrupt halt at the bottom of the stairs, JD forced himself to look up at the dangerous looking man, who, even slouched in a deck chair, a cup of coffee in one hand, still managed to look scarier than any bad guy in any movie he'd ever seen.

The man didn't move. Didn't blink. JD almost would have thought he was a statue except that he was too relaxed in his seat. Plus, he was close enough now that he could see that the man was breathing. Slowly, as he stared, the man arched one eyebrow, as if asking JD what he was looking at. Casey had been right. Danny never would have made it up the steps, and, swallowing, JD had to all but lock his knees into place to keep from running off with some kind of stammered apology. Instead, doing his best to look braver than he was, he took two steps up the stairs, and then, wondering if he was going to die for his daring, or get thrown in the harbor in front of the shop, he nodded to the death cowboy and then kept going across the porch, opening up the wood and screen door and stepping inside.

*.*.*

Turning to look back at Danny, to comment on the fact JD had actually done it - and with a tad more grace than she had last year, not that she was going to say that part to him- she all but burst out laughing at the look on her friend's face. The boy's eyes were as big as the silver dollars Aunt Nettie kept in the china cabinet and he _almost_ looked like he'd seen a ghost.

Stepping closer to him, she waved a hand in front of his eyes, softly calling, "Danny? Daaaan-o?" Blinking rapidly, he looked down at the shorter teen, his green eyes still slightly wide, but with a bit less of the apparition based shock that had been there a moment before.

"He did it." The words came out hushed and awed.

"Yeah, I'm surprised too," Casey said with a smirk. She opened her mouth to ask Danny how long he thought JD would actually last in there-it was like a maze to get all the way to where the Frankenfish was, and then you had to talk to the owner to get a sticker-and suddenly felt eyes on her. As a trickle of dread crawled down her spine, Casey made herself turn her head forward. The death cowboy was sitting up in his chair, not slouched like always, and he was staring right at them. She heard Danny suck in a breath behind her, and when the man started to push himself up Casey almost jumped backwards into Danny, it only the fact that Danny was backpedaling out of her way that kept them from crashing into each other.

"What's he doing?" Danny's whisper was slightly high pitched, wavering a little.

"I don't know," Casey whispered, not sure why she was except that Danny had been. Trying to rally, she continued, "Ain't like he can sit there all day, probably-" Still looking right at them, the figure in all black took one step forward, and with a shriek she'd later smack Danny for telling JD about, Casey turned and booked it. "Run, Danny!"

"Hey, wait!"

*.*.*

JD froze after stepping inside the front door, overwhelmed by the sheer amount of stuff, not moving even when the screen door slammed behind him.

Trying to ignore the large canoe that hung from the ceiling and the huge mounted fish on the wall to his left, JD shifted a little, going up on his tiptoes to attempt to locate his target. Mentally cursing the fact he was barely taller than Casey, it was obvious he'd have to navigate the way to his destination like a map-less pirate. Steeling his resolve, he took in a deep breath-

"Hey, wait!"

And stumbled forward, tripping over his own feet, barely missing a display of fly fishing poles that appeared on his right as he crashed to the ground. _Ouch_. JD didn't have time to deal with the fact that his knee hurt kinda bad, though, because Danny had sounded seriously freaked out, and the death cowboy was outside where Casey and him were! He pushed himself up, and tried to turn around, but there were too many things in his way and when he tried to push off the base of the fly fishing pole display to get some leverage the whole thing went toppling over sideways. Horrified, and aware of footsteps coming closer and that the cursing that had started when the display fell belonged to the same person, JD tried frantically to right the thing, but the poles were falling out of it every which way now. Cringing back, he made himself look up at the long haired man coming to a stop in front of him, "I'm sorry!"

Skittering back a bit more, his back bumping against poles, one poking him pretty hard in the shoulder, he watched the man, wide eyed. Stepping closer, the man leaned down and a squeak escaped JD as an outstretched hand was offered. "Ain't gonna kill ya, kid." Still wary, JD didn't move, just stared. The man's blue eyes softened a bit, and he shook his hand in front of JD. "C'mon, kid. Ain't mad. Should've moved that display yesterday."

JD hesitated for another second, and then stuck his hand in the man's, the blue eyes smiling a little at him as he hoisted him off the floor. Once JD was on his feet, and out of the tangle of rods he took a little step back, but smiled at the shop owner even as he blushed-boy he felt silly, first falling and making a mess of stuff, and then acting like he thought the guy was gonna beat him up or something. "I'm JD."

"Vin." The man rocked back on his heels a moment, regarding him and then, surprising JD all over again, grinned mischievously at him. "So now ya got past that ol' sentry on my porch, I'm figurin' ya want your sticker." It wasn't a question, and JD felt a rueful grin on his own face. It was awfully silly he guessed, no matter how scary the man on the porch had looked.

*.*.*

When his yell went unheard, or simply ignored, Danny beat a quick path out of the parking lot himself, steps behind Casey, his longer legs moving him through the wide strip of trees, roots and vines trying to trip him as he pressed through. Finally, he burst out and onto the sidewalk, gasping. Casey veered around a biker and Danny followed suit, but then slowed down a bit, wondering where she was headed. He wanted to go home, but the younger girl was headed towards town. That just didn't make sense. 'Sides, they should probably tell JD's Ma that he was likely stuck forever in Vin's Broken Bait. Sure, JD got past the Death Cowboy, but could he get back out? Danny was sure the man-

"Umph!"

Skidding to a stop as he took in the sight just a few paces ahead, Danny managed not to hit Casey, who in her mad dash down Pickerel Street had collided with a tall, black man. He'd kept Casey from falling over by putting a hand on her shoulder, big enough that even at the speed she'd been going it didn't make him more than oomph. Casey blushed and had a look on her face for a second that Danny really hoped didn't mean she was going to snap at a grown-up that she'd just run into, sometimes with Casey it was hard to tell. "Are you kids alright?" The man let go of Casey's shoulder, but looked both her and Danny over with careful eyes, "You were running like something was after you."

*.*,*

Nodding slowly, JD opened his mouth to agree, then paused. He looked over his shoulder trying once more to see the tank that held the Frankenfish.

"Ah, that's right. It's a two part deal, ain't it?" JD looked back at the man-Vin, and nodded again,

"Yeah."

"C'mon then. Gotta earn the sticker proper. Ole Joe likes visitors." Vin turned, leading the way through the maze of merchandise and memorabilia, JD trailing behind him.

There were preserved fish, the larger the better, mounted on the walls, and even a couple of crustaceans, looking like nothing so much as armored spiders. Things that were actually for sale crowded the rest of the space, nets and lures, until they got back by where the sales counter was and the floor opened up a little. Over against a side wall, with a large burn carved wooden sign above it proclaiming that it was the one and only Frankenfish, sat an enormous tank. Stepping closer, hoping to get a good look at the fish among the tank's rocks and plants, JD's eyes widened as he got his first glimpse. No wonder the tank was huge, it had to be! He couldn't even guess how much it really was. The fin sticking out of its belly and the extra eye were right there! Taking a few steps closer, nodding to the drawled, "He don't like no one tapping on that glass, though," JD kept staring as the catfish swam forward and seemed to look right at him. Its third eye sat right in between the other two, not up in its forehead or anything, just three in a row, which seemed even cooler than what he'd expected. Turning away and swimming slowly to the other side of its tank JD saw that the fish's back was crooked too, angling up partway down its spine so that its tail was pointing up a bit like a racing flag.

"Wow!"

*.*.*

Nodding, Casey didn't speak for another heartbeat, leading Danny to believe she just may say something she shouldn't and he stepped back in concern. "We're ok, Mister...well, I am. Not sure about him." Casey pointed at Danny over her shoulder, "Thanks."

The man nodded, though he didn't looked convinced. Looking at Danny, he asked, "You all right too? You sure nothing was chasing you?"

Danny shook his head, blushing and wishing Casey hadn't pointed him out to the man, "No, it was nothing."

The man's raised eyebrow showed that he didn't quite believe them-why would he, the way they'd been running?-but his words gave them the benefit of the doubt, even as his voice grew a bit stern. "Just playing then, huh? Might want to be a bit more careful, you run into somebody smaller than me like that you might knock them right over. Or get hurt yourselves."

"Sorry, Mister," Casey said, sheepish now that the adrenaline had worn off, right as Danny recognized the uniform the man was wearing, "we just..." Casey bit her lip, not sure what to say, and, surprising himself, Danny piped up to save her.

"We were practicing for a race!"

If the man had believed them, even a little, the look on Casey's face at Danny's half shout let him know how wrong he was. Casey's glare burned into Danny, who looked properly horrified, and both teens waited, expecting the man to call them on it. Instead, he seemed to be fighting a smile. He glanced behind them and gave a little nod, a grin still tugging at one side of his mouth. "Well, I'm all for races, staying healthy and in shape. Hope you kids take the prize. Even if it's just a sticker." The man winked, before moving around Casey to the street, climbing into a dark blue pickup- clearly an emergency vehicle, Danny groaning as the man pulled away from the curb.

"He totally knew-and you know who that was?" Casey turned to face him, hands on her hips, though Danny knew her well enough to know she was still more flustered than annoyed.

"No, and he only knew because of your shouting about races that nobody was running." She paused for a second, while Danny frowned, not liking that she was probably right. "Who?"

"The medic for Wells Lake Park, he works with my dad." Then he tossed a look over his shoulder, "What are we gonna do about JD? He's gonna have to go past the death cowboy again to get out."

Casey blew a strand of hair that had come loose from her ponytail out of her face as she thought over Danny's question. "We never should have left him. We have to go back." She set her jaw as she saw Danny's eyes widen.

"Are you nuts? The death cowboy stood up and walked towards us-he _doesn't_ want us there." Casey scowled at being called nuts, but since she could already tell Danny was going to cave by the glances he'd been sending back at the road and strip of woods that was between them and JD, she wasn't really annoyed.

*.*.*

Vin chuckled and JD blushed again. But really, he'd never seen anything like Frankenfish. It was both the creepiest and coolest thing he'd ever seen. Danny really needed to see it, but he wasn't sure how he'd ever get his skittish friend in the door-

"Pretty dang cool, if'n I say so myself."

Dragging his gaze from where the Frankenfish- Ol' Joe, Vin had said-was swimming back towards him, JD looked up at the grinning man, "He sure is...where'd he come from anyway?"

"Ol' Joe? He just walked right on in the door one day. Reckon he was gettin' tired of fendin' off 'em hooks." JD looked at the man askance for a second-he _wasn't_ five-before seeing the gentle humor in his eyes and having to grin back. He wondered if he told a million versions of the same tale, kept people guessing, just like Captain Sanchez when his class used to go on his boat tours as a field trip in elementary school, or if he stuck to the fish walking in story.

"Sure he wasn't hopping on his fin?" JD grinned when that got another chuckle out of the man and turned back to his staring. He stepped a little closer, but made sure not to touch the tank, remembering the warning that the fish didn't like it tapped.

The fish swam back and forth in front of JD a few times, the extra eye seeming to have a mind of its own- and suddenly JD was giggling. "Those whiskers you got make you look like the Captain." He spoke softly around his giggles, but Vin heard him anyway, the man laughing when JD turned to him, wide eyed. Did Vin know the Captain?

"Ain't sure 'Siah's whiskers are as long as his, but the resemblance is there, ain't it?" It took JD a second to realize that the 'Siah' the man was talking about must be Captain Sanchez, and he grinned wondering if the grizzled old man would appreciate being compared to one of the uglier catfish he'd seen, no matter how cool it was. Probably not.

Feeling a little more confident than he had been, JD asked, "So, do all you fishing guys know each other or something?" He wandered a little way away from Frankenfish-or maybe it was a title, like Ol' Joe the Frankenfish, he wasn't sure-looking at all the pictures and weird lures and things hanging on the wall behind the counter while waiting for Vin to answer him.

"Yup, all us fishing guys know each other." Vin nodded towards the front of the store, "Even your death cowboy." Leaning forward, elbows on the counter he'd just moved to stand behind, Vin added, "Don't _call_ him cowboy, though, kid."

*.*.*

With a huff, Casey moved past Danny, grabbing the sleeve of his shirt as she did. She was pretty sure Danny wouldn't just stay standing there, but she wasn't giving him a chance to take off either. "C'mon. I went in before. I can do it again." Glad she sounded more confident than she felt, she headed back towards the bait shop, dragging a reluctant Danny with her.

Casey batted branches out of her way as they walked back through the woods that gave them a shortcut to the bait shop. She knew they'd been going fast before, but as the walk seemed to stretch on she wondered just how fast. Too bad there wasn't a race being held soon, Casey grinned a little to herself, she would be sure to win if there was. Danny, who'd yanked his arm out of her hold a while ago, was still grumbling something about how they should have gone for reinforcements, Gael at least, but he wasn't actually stopping and Casey knew he wouldn't. The nearer they came to the parking lot- and she hadn't realized quite how far they had gone the slower Danny moved. Casey sent a glare over her shoulder when she reached the edge of the parking lot and Danny was still standing in the trees.

"C'mon, Danny. You want to have to tell JD's Ma that we lost him in the bait shop?"

He shook his head. Of course he didn't want to do that. "No...but what if the death cowboy comes after _us_ again, Case? Who's gonna tell our folks that he got us?"

Rolling her eyes at the sheer ridiculousness of Danny's statement- it wasn't like the death cowboy would actually _kill_ them, she was pretty sure anyway. She looked across the parking lot, ready to tell Chicken Boy exactly that, and instead sucked in a surprised breath. The death cowboy was gone!

*.*.*

JD looked at Vin curiously, the "Why?" slipping off his tongue without much thought. That didn't make much sense, a death cowboy not liking to be called cowboy.

"He really don't like it. Threatens to shoot people sometimes." JD's eyes widened even though Vin had said it casually, like threatening to shoot people was perfectly normal if you didn't like what they'd said.

"Does he have a gun?" JD hadn't seen a holster, but the way the guy dressed it almost seemed like he should have one.

"Probably. Don't worry, he knows if he shoots somebody he can't sit on my porch no more." Leaning his hip against the counter, Vin's blue eyes were dancing at him, and after a second JD snorted.

"Mister, I think you're full of it." JD's eyes widened a little as his brain caught up to what he'd said, but the man was laughing, surprised, before he could get an apology off of his tongue.

"You're not the first to say that, kid. Cowboy calls me a dang fibber at least twice a week."

JD, more confused now than he'd been during the entire situation, opened his mouth, "But you just said..."

"Oh, he and I have an understanding. He threatens to shoot me and I let him sit out there and scare my customers."

Thinking that these fishing guys were more crazy- Gael would never believe this conversation- than anyone he'd ever known, he tipped his head to the side and looked back up at Vin. "Can I have a sticker now?"

Vin chuckled softly, pushing himself off the counter as he reached behind him for a basket that sat on a shelf above the wall of fishing pictures and trophies. Setting the basket on the counter, Vin dipped his head. "One per person." JD nodded. He knew the rule. Picking a sticker right off the top of the pile, JD admired it momentarily, barely noticing Vin returning the basket to the shelf. The sticker had a picture of Frankenfish, with Vin's Broken Bait written across the bottom.

Grinning again, and imagining Casey's face when he showed her the sticker, JD blurted, "Thanks, Mister!"

"Told ya, I'm Vin, only old guys like the one on my porch are misters." Slouching against the counter again, Vin's voice was relaxed. Relaxed enough that JD definitely wasn't expecting to hear a grouchy voice from behind him.

"Dammit, Tanner, quit calling me old." JD froze, eyes widening as Vin's started to dance, and he slowly turned around. Trying not to let his mouth gape, he stared as the death cowboy himself started to pick his way over the mess still on the floor. Grumbling, he turned back, and righted the stand, muttering a sentence about tripping hazards and no sense as he shoved the fishing poles back into their home, glaring at JD's new friend all the while.

"My mama taught me never t' lie, Cowboy." The glare narrowed, but even as JD held his breath in anticipation, a glance over his shoulder told him that Vin was still grinning, not bothered at all. Turning back, JD stifled a gasp of surprise. The death cowboy was standing barely a foot from him and without meaning too, he stepped back, the heel of his sneaker catching on the bottom of a display that held numerous postcards and fishing brochures. Heat flooded his cheeks as he stumbled and tried to stop his downward motion. Making a fool of himself twice in a matter of minutes would be-

"Whoa, kid." The gruff words cut through JD's thoughts, as a strong hand gripped his elbow, and tugged him upright.

*.*.*

Casey stayed rooted to her spot, peering around carefully in all directions. She _was_ pretty that the death cowboy wouldn't actually hurt them-the rumors often said he radiated death, but if someone had actually died she was certain something would have been done about it. Danny, peering over her shoulder, breathed out, "He went in after him." His look at Casey was clearly asking her if JD was now a goner, and she bit her lip, thinking.

"He could've just gone home. Ain't like he lives there." She squared her shoulders and turned to face Danny. "Either way, we can't just go home without seeing whether JD is still in there. And everybody says the shop owner is nice once you get past the cowboy."

"'Cause he's impressed you survived!" Danny yelped out, though Casey could see he was weakening.

"Honestly, Dan-o! Could you just once act like you're actually older than me!" Casey snapped out the words, though there wasn't as much heat attached to them as there could've been. Giving Danny's shoulder a solid shove she added, " _C'mon_!"

She turned from Danny and began making her way across the parking lot, knowing Danny would follow along behind her. Hearing Danny's huff from behind her, the annoyed tone to it telling Casey she'd maybe been a little mean, only had the girl further raising her head and walking with more determination. She could make sure he wasn't really upset once this whole mess was over and they were out of here. JD's mom was nice, sure, but them just ditching him on the other side of town because they got scared probably wouldn't go over well with her-or any of the adults.

Besides, he may annoy her, but he _was_ their best friend, after all.

*.*.*

"I'm sorry!"

"Didn't do nothing to be sorry for." The man merely continued to hold him upright until JD found his feet, his face a mask that JD couldn't see through. Seeming satisfied that JD wasn't about to fall on his face anymore, he let go and moved around him to the counter, almost seeming to forget he was there. "Not so old I can't kick your ass, Tanner."

"Hell, Larabee, long as you know I can kick yours twice after, I've got no arguments." JD knew his mouth was hanging open, but he couldn't help it. The longer he stayed in here, the stranger things got. He couldn't tell for sure, but it seemed like Vin and the death cowboy actually _liked_ each other. They sounded a bit like Casey and Gael when they'd go at it. And that didn't make a whole lot of sense to him. Vin was really nice. Glancing towards the front door, he calculated how long it'd take him to get back to it, and if he'd be able to do so without drawing attention to himself.

He looked back at the two men, who had gone quiet. The man in black nodded at something unspoken, propelling JD towards the door- 'cause that was weird. He tucked his sticker into the safety of his pocket just as the front door burst open and a tall, dark haired man with a mustache swept into the store.

"Hey, boys, hold onto your hats because the fun has arrived! And ooeee, do I have a story for you!" Loud and grinning, the man swept his hat off his head and smacked it on his leg, like he was knocking imaginary dust off of it. JD stopped in his tracks, wondering if he'd ever get out of here as the guy almost slammed the door behind him. He took a couple more steps forward, JD hearing Vin chuckle and the death cowboy groan behind him, and then stopped as he came to JD. "Well, what do we have here? Someone brave enough to get past the terrifying death cowboy, huh?"

"Dammit, Buck." It was growled in annoyance, but the cheeky grin the mustached man gave in response, JD stepping back and turning sideways so he could see them both, had him wondering just how scary the guy could really be. JD was pretty sure people didn't regularly laugh at harbingers of death, not unless they were a little crazy. Of course, for all he knew this guy grinning his head off was a little crazy.

"Cat got your tongue, kid?" The man grinned down at him, and reached out to tug down the cap JD had forgotten he was wearing. "Red Sox, eh? Don't you know you're in Astros territory, Son?" the man laughed as JD sent a glare at him, trying to push the hat up at the same time.

Who was this guy? Grabbing on his hat like that? Too annoyed to be intimidated, JD snapped back, "The Sox can beat the Astros any day of the week!" He adjusted the hat on his head again, making sure it was snug on his head and settled his feet on the floor, solid. JD was aware of the two other men laughing behind him, not sure if it was at him, or at this new guy, or maybe both of them.

The man just laughed at his statement, not annoyed at all. "That so, huh? Guess we'll see come play offs."

JD snorted, eyeing the man with just the slightest hint of curiosity under his annoyance. "We'll see the Red Sox win, you mean?"

A booming laugh escaped the man and he grinned, eyes crinkling at the edges a bit. "You're just full of spit and vinegar, ain't ya, Son?"

*.*.*

Danny followed Casey, slightly hurt by the girl's words, and trying not to be. He _was_ older than her, but she didn't have to be so mean about it. His Dad said he was just extra cautious and that some people were- Danny let out a little oomph as he ran into Casey's back. She'd stopped at the base of the porch steps. The look she cast him over her shoulder was a mixture of both exasperation and nervous anticipation. Sucking in his own set of nerves, Danny summoned a tiny piece of bravery from down near his toes, suddenly determined to show her he wasn't a complete wimp. Moving around her and up the front step, he reached back and grabbed her hand, tugging her up the stairs. Casey tugged her hand away from his the second they hit the porch, grumbling that she was going to smack him if he did that again. He stopped at the front door, pulling it open, and froze at the booming voice coming from just a few feet inside the store.

It was too cheerful to be the death cowboy, but the loud voice had something teasing and brash about it that made Danny feel uncertain all over again. Still, when he heard the words 'Red Sox' he knew they had to be talking either to or about JD, Casey stepping closer and urging him to, "Go on," making it clear she'd heard it too. Danny took a deep breath and stepped over the doorway. The shop was crowded with stuff inside, and he couldn't get more than a few steps into the maze of fishing stuff before the back of the man with the booming voice was in front of him.

The screen door had banged behind them seconds after entering and deciding he'd been brave enough- they were inside, weren't they?- Danny stepped back, only to feel Casey pushing him forward with a hand between his shoulders. "We're almost there, c'mon, Danny." She whispered the words, but the urgency in her voice had him stepping forward again. Until the man with the booming voice turned to see who was hovering behind his back.

"Well, hey now, Junior, looks like you got a three for one special." The mustached man glanced over at the counter with his statement and then back at Casey and Danny. He leaned a hip against a shelf filled with an assortment of boat cleaning supplies, and then readjusted as the shelf shifted away from him, "I'm not sure it counts when you don't have to get by Cowboy over there, though." The man pointed over his shoulder and Danny's mouth dropped open.

JD peered around the tall man at his friends, surprised as anything to see them, and then when he thought about it quite pleased. He'd been in here a lot longer than he expected, and knowing even Danny had been brave enough to venture into the bait shop for him was pretty cool. Even if they hadn't had to get past the cowboy-it was getting harder to think of him as a death cowboy the longer he stayed in the shop and heard him talking to his friends. Casey glaring around Danny at the boisterous and noisy man had a grin tugging at his lips-if he thought JD was full of spit and vinegar, wait until he got a load of Casey. "Already got by him once. He ain't so scary." JD grinned outright, as Casey continued to stare the Astros fan down. The chuckle from-was it Larabee that Vin had called him?-the cowboy and the sudden stain on Danny's face was interesting too.

Grinning at Casey's statement, the mustached man stuck his hands in his pockets, peering over at the Cowboy and giving a sad shake of his head. "Hear that, Stud? You ' _ain't so scary_ '. Losin' your touch. Sad state of affairs right there."

Still glaring, Casey moved around Danny entirely, ignoring both the lightly growled, "Shut up, Buck," and the chuckle from the men at the counter.

Trying not to laugh, JD got out, "Guys, I'm fine, I was just talking to the owner." Danny was giving him a look like he expected JD to have battle scars or something, and was just hiding them until they got outside. Casey merely switched her glare from Buck to him, shaking her head in exasperation.

"Why'd you have to take so long? Danny was convinced we were going to have to tell your mom that you got dissected or something!"

"Was not," Danny mumbled, but his face wasn't too convincing, his eyes darting around the shop as he took it all in.

"Dissected?" Vin's slightly disgruntled voice from the front of the store had them all looking over at the shaggy haired man. "Cowboy's a bit rough 'n all, but don't recall nothin' in the rumors 'bout cuttin' up half growed folks."

Standing up straight, Vin eyed the three teens at the front of the store, ignoring the hissed, "Who started the original rumor, Tanner?!" from the annoyed man to his left.

"You got some side hobby you ain't telling us about, Pard?" Buck's big voice startled Danny and he backed up until he bumped into the screen door. The tall man then threw a wink at Casey, and tugged JD's cap back down with a chuckle, before making his way to the back of the store, ignoring the heated glare that was now aimed at him.

JD gave a disgusted sigh and adjusted his hat _again_. He'd been kinda starting to think he liked the Astros fan, but right about now he was taking it back. JD didn't think grown-ups were supposed to be that annoying. Deciding to ignore him JD turned his head back towards his friends. "C'mon Danny, you have to see the Frankenfish before we leave! It's really cool and creepy looking." Danny hesitated to respond, eyes still traveling over the decorations and fishing gear that was literally everywhere.

"I dunno..."

"C'mon!" JD said, not wanting to take no for an answer, "You made it all the way inside, Danny, you have to get a sticker."

"C'mon, Dan-o, if you get one, then you'll have something Gael doesn't..." the lilting tone of Casey's voice had Danny stepping forward, and as soon as he did, JD closed the space between them. He took his friend by the arm (and Danny was beginning to get annoyed at everyone yanking him around), hauling him through the maze of supplies and shelving units towards the back corner of the shop. Casey remained where she was, watching the three men at the counter, head tipped to one side. She caught the eye of the store owner and he grinned at her. "You're Mz. Nettie's niece, ain't ya?"

"Yep, I'm Casey. Who are you?" Vin had to smile at the forward tone in the girl's voice, not rude, but definitely plenty blunt. Just like her auntie.

"Vin. Vin Tanner. Met your aunt at Rod and Reel a couple years ago, keep running into her. She's a real nice lady." The girl took a few steps forward now that Buck had moved his big ass out of the aisle and her friends had charged off to look at Ol' Joe, relaxing a little as she looked at the three men in the room and, while she stayed on the other side of the small room from the 'death cowboy', it was clear that she was keeping her initial assessment of 'ain't so scary'.

"She's the best."

"Casey, come and look at Frankenfish," JD urged.

"Hold your horses!" Casey called impatiently to the boys, swinging her gaze back to Vin, a small frown wrinkling her brow. "If you're Vin Tanner...who's the prissy dude that gave me my sticker last summer?"

Vin's mouth crinkled up in absolute delight at the girl's words, Buck started almost howling, and Chris snorted into the cup of coffee he'd stolen from Vin. "That'd be Ezra."

"Prissy dude," Buck wheezed out in absolute delight, "prissy dude...I can't wait to see Hoss again, cannot wait." The teenager gave them all a look that both questioned their sanity and said she _still_ had no idea who that was.

Casey focused her look on Vin- the only one who'd sorta answered and the man reigned in his silent chuckles long enough to say, "Ezra's a friend. Owns the flashy little yacht outside. Sometimes watches the store fer me."

Another snort from the cowboy, "Once. He watched the shop _one_ time."

Vin rolled his eyes at Chris-for Ezra to have done it once was a pretty big thing, really. Plus, the look on the southerner's face when Vin had all but tossed the keys at him and run out the door had been pretty darn funny. Completely worth the two weeks of bitching and moaning about being used as unpaid labor that had followed. "Still did it, Cowboy."

The girl appraised them for another second, then nodded, though whether it was just an acknowledgement that she'd been answered or an attempt to end the conversation was unclear, her friends insistently calling her over to Ol' Joe the Frankenfish drawing her that way.

*.*.*

Despite the pretty big concern Danny was still feeling- they were _in_ Vin's Broken Bait and the _Death Cowboy_ was just feet from them- he couldn't help but grin again at JD's words. His friend was right. And, it wasn't often that he was able to prove Gael wrong about anything. A tiny grin lit up Danny's face at JD's words. He looked at Frankenfish, the catfish appeared to be staring at him, while his third eye wandered towards the ceiling, and then back to JD. "Gael said I'd never do it." His friend's hazel eyes lit up, as he shoved his dark bangs back under the edge of his cap. "And look at ya now!"

Danny stood with his mouth hanging open, he couldn't help it. This...this _creature_ was oddly terrifying and yet so awesome at the same time. He looked at JD and then pointed at Ole Joe as the fish swam lazily in front of the boys, as if he knew they were fawning over him. JD's face lit up even more, the excitement oozing from him, "I _knoooooow_!" He dug around in his pocket and pulled out the sticker, "And look! Now you get one of these too! All of us have one now!" Realizing that Casey still hadn't come over to the tank, JD turned to look for her, rolling his eyes a little when he saw she was wandering her way towards them, poking a little at things as she went.

Pausing in her trek across the shop to look at a large 'Fish of Louisiana' poster, Casey tilted her head and glared at a particularly funky looking one called an alligator gar. The waters where they spent their summers were filled with some pretty crazy looking creatures.

"Casey, you're slower than molasses in January!" JD's voice called out, and the girl rolled her eyes. She wondered how he'd like it if she shoved him in the harbor. Aunt Nettie said JD's mind was always two steps ahead of him and that's why he had no patience.

"Case, is he as cool as you remember?" Danny asked as she stepped up to the tank, watching the big old fish as he swam lazily towards the back of his large aquarium.

"Yep. And the way he swims right up like he's saying hi is even cooler," she admitted, grinning over at Danny who nodded vigorously.

"Danny!" JD all but shouted, Casey snickering as she saw the tall man jump a little from the corner of her eye, "You've got to get your sticker-and meet Vin. He's cool." There was a slight emphasis on the 'he's' that had Buck making a mock offended noise and Casey snickered again. She'd never met _anyone_ like these men before, not ever.

Danny's eyed widened a bit, JD wasn't serious...was he? The Death Cowboy was _right there_ at the counter. He began to shake his head no, but JD put a hand to his back and began to push him forward before he could get good purchase on the wood plank floor. They reached the counter so quickly, Danny could only watch in horror as the Death Cowboy stood up...only to back away a bit, leaving space for the two teens.

Purposely ignoring the tall _Astros_ fan's cheerful hello, JD steered Danny right to the front counter, nearly running his friend's shoulder into the Cowboy's arm. "Vin, this is my friend, Danny James. He needs a sticker!"

Danny tried not to stare at the man slouching against the counter, coffee mug held protectively in his hand and black duster wrapped around him, but it was hard. He didn't seem like the vicious harbinger of doom that Gael had described more than once, but there was an air of hardness, of menace, around him. Which just made it so much weirder when he nodded at him. Danny tried not to gulp visibly as he made himself nod back-he wasn't going to be rude to the _death cowboy_. Suddenly he realized the man behind the counter was talking to him, or really, had been talking to him, and Danny hadn't heard a word.

"Uh...um...I.." Danny stammered, unable to make a full sentence, aware that the *death cowboy* was watching him, and that the shaggy haired man behind the counter was waiting for an answer he didn't have. He glanced behind him, looking for Casey, but she was still back by Frankenfish, and a look to his side showed the tall mustached man showing something to JD. Looking at Vin, he tried again, "I..."

"Easy, kid. Cowboy won't hurt ya none. Here." Vin pushed a basket full of stickers across the counter and Danny took one right off the top, gently pushing the basket back towards Vin. Backing away from the counter, he watched both the Cowboy, and JD, who was now arguing some baseball statistic with the tall mustached man.

"Th-thank you!"

Vin grinned at him, blue eyes sparkling, "You earned it, Kid."

Danny felt himself blush, trying to will it away not doing a thing. He had, hadn't he? Sure he'd run at first, but so had Casey. They came back for JD and went into the shop and Danny was even standing next to the _death cowboy_. He looked down at the sticker, fighting the urge to hold it tighter since he didn't want to wrinkle it, and grinned.

Gael was never going to believe him. Not that Danny was going to tell him about the running away anyway. Behind him he heard Casey groan, and then, a little worried, "Guys, it's nearly five! We're gonna be so late."

Danny whipped his head around to look at Casey in disbelief. That couldn't be right! But then he heard JD mutter, "Oh man!" and his heart hit his knees. Casey was right. They were never going to get all the way back across town before his dad started to worry. Every time he went anywhere with his friends, he wound up getting home late!

He was going to wind up grounded at this rate. Which still didn't take all the coolness out of getting his sticker, but that plus knowing his dad would be worried kind of put a pall over it. Danny groaned a little to himself and looked at his friends, wondering if there was anyway to get home in, he glanced down at his watch, 20 minutes. _Crap._

"Bye Vin, bye Buck, bye mister!" JD moved first weaving through the crowded store towards the door, and Danny jumped to follow him. Maybe if he ran most of the way...

"If your folks are gonna worry, I could-"

Casey interrupted before Vin could finish his sentence, saying, "We don't want a ride," in such a defensive tone that Danny wondered if he'd missed him offering. He turned back to watch, just in case.

"Good. Wasn't offerin' one," the man sounded somehow both surprised and just a bit severe. "And you'd've been right not to take it if I did. Got a phone on the counter here, though."

Danny watched Casey a bit nervous. He was never sure if she was going to overstep her bounds and they didn't know these adults-

"Sorry. But, no thanks!" Casey didn't look overly apologetic and moving quickly she headed to the front door. She offered no goodbye, and Danny stepped back, or she would've trampled his toes on her way out, following JD down the stairs.

Danny stood awkwardly for half a second, more than aware that the men were watching him, before a quiet, "Thank you!" escaped him and he ducked out the door, calling after his friends to wait for him.

*.*.*

Vin snagged the coffee mug out of Chris's hands, turning to the coffee pot that was crammed among other things on another shelf behind the counter. Refilling the cup, since his first had been commandeered, he glanced over his shoulder, looking past Buck to the front door. "Funny thing...I think we're gonna see them kids a lot more."

"Wouldn't mind that. That JD knows more about baseball than either of you boys. Be nice to talk about something other than football once in awhile." Buck grinned then, and snatched the coffee cup Vin had just set on the counter.

"Thanks, Junior."

A tiny war ensued over the coffee, Vin reaching to grab it before Buck moved away from the counter. He caught the edge, and Buck froze in an effort not to get hot coffee spilled on his fingers. "Catch and release, Junior. Works with fish and coffee." Buck chuckled, as Vin tugged the cup back towards him.

"Doesn't. Catch was mine t' begin with," Vin grumbled back.

The battle only lasted a few mere seconds before, "Buck," came from Chris as he stood up and stretched. Releasing the mug with a joking grumble, Buck backed up a bit, poking at a small display of fishing related keychains that sat on the counter to his left. The tinkling noise they made mixed with the jingle of the front door bells and had the men turning to see who it was.

"Mr. Tanner, I see that in the approaching two years of our acquaintance- and despite your insistence that you'd 'get 'round to it'- your sign is still as broken as it was at my last visitation here."

The scathing sentence, holding barely enough humor for the occasional happenstance stranger to be able to detect that the owner of the voice was likely not quite as annoyed as the sentence was meant to sound, caused a bark of laughter from one man, a half chuckle, half snort from another and a call of, "Hey Ez," from the third.

Delicately arching one eyebrow at the unexpected hilarity his arrival had caused Ezra strode a bit more cautiously into the back. His arrival had Buck sniggering again, and a smirk that had never boded well for him in the past was spread wide over Mr. Larabee's face. Even Vin was grinning softly at him, Ezra sure there were snickers building inside. "What, pray tell, has been deemed so hilarious about my arrival?"

"Pray tell..." Buck was too overcome with mirth to get more than the two words out, and Ezra glared at his friends with increasing annoyance. He fought the urge to look down and see if there was something glaringly wrong with his attire. The laughter had started before the other men had even gotten a good look at him. "No wonder...Prissy dude!" The words came out as a gasp, and as Ezra was newly offended Vin started snickering, and even Chris gave a bark of laughter.

Despite being still entirely unaware of just what had led the other men to such an erroneous conclusion, Ezra was entirely confident of one pertinent fact-he was not prissy!

*.*.*

Danny began breathing heavily as they rounded the corner into the old neighborhood, a quick glance at his watch showing that Casey's idea of taking the shortcut behind The Shipwreck had actually bought them some time. Though he'd been plenty scared they were going to be seen racing through the small streets behind Four Harbors only bar, and then he'd have to explain an even bigger broken rule to his Dad. They were near JD's house now, the street lights just beginning to turn on and a bit of relief washed over him. He wasn't gonna be _too_ late. JD veered away, jogging down Sunfish Lane to his house, and Danny waved, he and Casey jogging on down the sidewalk towards the Wells' place. They both waved to Widow Janssen - she always sat out on her porch rocker in the evenings - and then Danny was waving to Casey as she turned and ran down Catfish Holler, more of a long dirt driveway than a street.

Slowing his run to a jog, hoping above hope that he'd somehow managed to beat his Dad home, he tightened his fist around the sticker from the bait shop, the excitement of telling his Dad he'd done it, warring with his nervousness about being late for the third time in just over a week. Keeping a decent pace he jogged down Bowfin - the main street in the old neighborhood and turned down Wells Pond Road, just after the Schooner House Museum. As his house came into view, he could see his Dad's park vehicle sat in the drive, lights still on. Danny swallowed hard and forced himself to keep moving. That was it. He wasn't sure he'd be able to go anywhere for the next week or so; why couldn't they have left the bait shop ten minutes earlier?

Danny's jog slowed as he got to the end of the driveway, not sure if he was happy or not that Gael was leaning on the truck, talking to Da through the open window. When he turned and called out, "Hey Dan the man, got back quicker than I thought you would from walking JD and Casey home," Danny was definitely happy-Gael was covering for him.

"Uh, yeah, didn't want to be late," he mumbled, and then even though maybe he shouldn't have, since he had no clue what story his brother had told, he shoved his hand into the pocket he'd stashed his sticker in to retrieve his prize and shoved it in their direction, "Look what I got!"


End file.
